1937 DUCATI [card title]
Società Scientifica Radiobrevetti
Società Scientifica Radiobrevetti Ducati: “1937 DUCATI [card title]." [Bologna: SSR Ducati, 1936]. Original edition. Letterpress card printed two over one-colors and scored for mailing. Issued as a New Years’ greeting card that also dynamically publicized the new Borgo Panigale factory. Vivid unfaded color, so a nearly fine example of this seasonal greeting: “A tutti i suoi amici e collaboratori, la societa scientifica Radio Brevetti Ducati porge fervidi auguri di prosperita e di successo per l'anno che sorge [To all its friends and collaborators, the scientific society Radio Patent Ducati sends fervent wishes for prosperity and success for the coming year].
5.875 x 4.25-inch letterpress card printed red and black over gray and scored for mailing. Period correct design and production on this scarce survivor: a well wishing New Years’ greeting card from Scientifica Radiobrevetti Ducati from 1936.
The Rationalist Borgo Panigale factory opened in March 1936, and survived until 1944, when it was bombed and destroyed by Allied bombers from the United States Army Air Force.
In 1936, the year in which the Borgo Panigale factory became operational, SSR Ducati grew so quickly that it went from having just two workers to employing 1,400 in a highly organized and avantgarde factory. The high-quality of Ducati production and the extreme precision of the equipment manufactured did not go unnoticed by the Fascist government, headed up by Benito Mussolini. During the period in which Italy conquered Ethiopia and Eritrea, the regime recognized the opportunity to use technological development for strategic ends and factories like Ducati, which could be easily converted and potentially implement strategic production, were obliged to follow the orders of the Fascist government.